Curriculum

The English department provides a comprehensive education grounded in Goal II, a deep respect for intellectual values. Four years of coursework are required to graduate, and each year, skills are progressively expanded and refined through an increase in rigor and expectation.

The freshman year establishes a foundation for appreciating literature from various epochs (Classical, Renaissance, and contemporary) and in multiple forms (novel, short story, poetry, drama, and epic). Freshmen also write a wide array of compositions, including expository essays, research investigations, personal narratives, and works of fiction.

The sophomore year builds upon the previous year’s foundation and focuses on world authors and genres.

The junior year emphasizes American literature and continues to hone modes of investigation and expression.

The majority of Woodlands seniors study British Literature in the first semester and an elective in the second semester (such as creative writing or a special topic). Certain students are selected for Advanced Placement English, a year-long, college-level class that culminates in an intensive three-hour exam in the spring.

Our primary focus is to provide an education that fosters artistic and personal growth. The development and application of artistic skills reinforce an aesthetic understanding while exploring the role of art, music, and drama on a personal and societal level.

Freshmen are required to take an Introduction to Music and Visual Art and all students must complete a minimum of one and one half credits in Fine Arts to graduate. The curriculum includes courses in vocal and instrumental music, drawing, painting, ceramics, photography, and theater production, and ranges from introductory classes to Advanced Placement and independent studies.

Woodlands students are encouraged to audition for choral groups, orchestra, band, and theater productions and competitions, and to submit their work to local juried visual art exhibitions.

Fine Arts

The Fine Arts program offers opportunities for exceptionally talented students to participate in state and national competitions. The program also strives to integrate the arts throughout the school community; for example, student work is curated bi-annually for display in the Foyer Art Gallery.

Photography

The Woodlands Academy Photography program encourages students to develop their creativity and perception through the use of a camera and the development of ideas. In addition to studio work, all classes incorporate knowledge of contemporary artists and historic practitioners. The photography facility includes a traditional darkroom enabling students to work in 35mm, medium, and large format photography, digital imaging, and studio lighting.

Music

Woodlands’ Music program offers all students class and studio options in both the vocal and instrumental areas. Curricular and extracurricular offerings include Performing Arts Chorus, Performing Arts Orchestra, Kaleidoscope, Microscope, WA Beat, Liturgical Choir, and a private lesson program. Annual competitions, performances, recitals, and a spring musical are also available to all students.

Drama

Woodlands’ Drama program promotes "Theater as Education." Each year, Woodlands stages a play and a musical that afford students the opportunity to showcase their talents in acting and musical theater. Recent productions include Anne Frank and Me, Alice in Wonderland, Annie, and West Side Story.

Woodlands Academy recognizes new and existing technology’s capacity to enhance our students' learning experiences, and all of our classes at Woodlands Academy include technology. Our Information Technology (IT) program requires freshmen to take a quarter of Computer Technology to bolster their skills and to achieve their educational goals. We offer courses in Graphic Arts, such as Digital Photography and Video Production.

The Woodlands Academy International Languages department encourages students to integrate international languages into their own experiences, to appreciate cultural diversity, and to become citizens of the world.

We use many teaching methods to meet varied learning styles and ability levels, including TPR (Total Physical Response), videos, music, internet sites, games, and cooperative learning groups. We emphasize acquiring and polishing the four language skills --listening, speaking, reading, and writing-- within a cultural context. Second-year languages (excluding Latin) are taught in the target language to encourage students to think in the target language and to develop circumlocution techniques. We also introduce various cultural, social, and historical topics in the second year. Our upper level classes introduce students to literary works. Latin classes emphasize the study of classical Roman writers (Cicero, Caesar, Virgil, and the lyric poets).

The International Languages department is a member of Spanish, French and Latin National Honor Societies. Every spring, our faculty inducts deserving students into these societies. Students also participate annually in the National French Exam and the National Spanish Exam. Numerous extracurricular opportunities, such as French Club and Common Ground, afford our students opportunities to pursue their international language interests outside of the classroom.

Woodlands Academy's Mathematics curriculum lays the groundwork for our students to succeed in any college environment. We require three years of mathematics for graduation; however, almost all of our students opt to take a fourth year of math. Some even elect to take five years.

Students become confident and able mathematicians by participating in a variety of learning activities designed to promote logical reasoning. Our curriculum develops students' ability to think analytically, and challenges their problem-solving skills. The use of technology, such as Sketchpad, Fathom, the graphing calculator, and SmartNotebook, enriches students' understanding. Math students solve problems numerically, algebraically, and graphically, with and without the use of a graphing calculator. They interpret and present their solutions both verbally and in writing.

Woodlands’ four-year Physical Education program is designed to guide our students’ physical, social, and emotional growth. We encourage and assist each student to:

• develop coordination
• learn to move skillfully and effectively through exercise, games, and sports
• improve personal behavior and interpersonal relationships through games and sports
• condition her cardiovascular and muscular systems to meet daily and emergency demands
• acquire an appreciation and respect for physical fitness and well-being
• cultivate a commitment to living a healthy lifestyle.

Health Education is a required course for freshmen. Course content includes physical fitness, nutrition, smoking, drugs, alcohol, and family living, and emphasizes the risks involved in certain health behaviors and how these behaviors can impair intelligent decision-making practice. Freshmen develop basic skills in aerobics, fitness, and team and individual sports. The course of study for sophomores, juniors, and seniors seeks to develop personal skills, good sportsmanship, and enjoyment through participation in a wide variety of activities, including aerobics and fitness, archery, floor hockey, soccer, flag football, volleyball, basketball, badminton, pickle ball, and tennis.

Woodlands Academy’s Science curriculum is designed to provide students with a firm foundation in scientific inquiry with the goals of developing scientifically literate citizens for the 21^st century and promoting interest in STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) careers.

Woodlands’ science program provides a rigorous education in the physical and biological sciences and emphasizes experimentation as the key to scientific discovery and knowledge. Our curriculum develops students’ skills and understanding of the scientific method through laboratory work, field studies, and research projects using current available technologies. Science is a discipline that is changing rapidly, and our curriculum evolves accordingly.

Three years of science are required for graduation, beginning with physics in the freshman year. Most Woodlands students take four years of science.

Woodlands Academy’s Social Studies Department challenges students to become critical thinkers and readers, and provides a foundation for understanding the issues of the rapidly changing 21^st century. Our curriculum seeks to develop an appreciation of the world’s cultural diversity and the commonality of human aspirations, and to cultivate an understanding of American history and a sense of civic responsibility.

Three years of social studies are required for graduation, although many students choose to complete four years in the discipline. Our courses, sequenced skills, and writing activities are organized to provide a broad framework of knowledge, with an emphasis on critical inquiry. Students learn to interpret and apply historical, psychological, economic, and political theories, and to develop facility with research skills and analytical writing. Through collaborative projects, peer critiques, and classroom discussions, students learn to express and respect divergent opinions.

Woodlands Academy’s Theology Department commits itself “to educate to a personal and active faith in God.” Our Theology faculty seeks to expose students to a variety of faith traditions, with a particular emphasis on the Catholic Christian tradition, and to guide students to an awareness of the Holy who is active and present in their lives.

Students learn about the scriptures, sacred texts, and faith practices of the world’s religious traditions through class lectures and discussions, written assignments and projects, interviews and guest lecturers, and movies and field trips. Our curriculum guides students in their encounter with the mystery of our transcendent and immanent God, one who has relevance for our own day and age and who calls believers to live their faith when facing ethical and social justice concerns. Mindful of Woodlands’ all-girls’ school environment, we emphasize especially the role of women in scripture and tradition.

Students are expected to complete a minimum of six semester-long courses, including one elective, as follows:

Freshman:

• World Religions: God and the Human Experience
• Hebrew Scriptures

Sophomore:

• Christian Scriptures

Junior & Senior:

• Catholicism
• Christian Ethics

Electives:

• Social Justice
• Discovering Women of Faith
• Prayer and Spirituality